THE Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) Wales is urging Chancellor George Osborne to take steps to help the construction industry in his Budget tomorrow.

Gareth Lynn, ACCA Wales member, said: “In the 1990s and early 2000s Cardiff had a booming construction industry but since 2008 this has fallen flat, with devastating effect on the supply chain. It’s not just the developers that struggle when the construction industry slows.

“There are hundreds of companies that feel the knock-on effect. Maybe short term tax breaks could get this sector moving again. I know the Chancellor won’t be keen to give tax breaks to a specific industry but the long term effects of a short term break could far outweigh the cost.

Mr Lynn also called on the Chancellor to look at the costs associated with businesses hiring staff. “Currently the associated business costs are too high and it’s becoming a deterrent to hiring staff,” he said.

“Mr Osborne may point to the million new private sector jobs but even if those figures are correct, it appears to have had very little effect on growth so far. We had a flat economy for the whole of 2012.”

The ACCA said among other measures that Mr Osborne could announce would be more help for smaller businesses to trade internationally.